The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs is preparing to reform children’s social and legal protection, known as Child Protection Authorities (OSPOD in Czech). These authorities, established by municipalities, assist at-risk children and families. However, they currently complain about being overwhelmed by administrative tasks.
According to the proposed amendment, expected to take effect in 2025, social services may no longer need to represent children in court as colliding guardians. There is also consideration to rename the office. The Ministry wants the OSPOD, which currently employs 2,629 people, to become more streamlined while strengthening its competencies.
Zdislava Odstrčilová, the Chief Director of the Family Policy and Social Services Section, dismissed speculations that the government intends to abolish the OSPOD. She stated, “Their role must remain, but at the moment, they only intervene in cases involving highly endangered children. It is a high-threshold facility.” According to her, the authorities should focus more on working with families, who may only receive assistance when they find themselves in situations that could lead to the removal of their child.
According to the proposed amendment, the social service could be relieved of its duty to represent children in court as colliding guardians, which is expected to take effect in 2025. There is also consideration to rename the office. The Ministry wants the OSPOD, which currently employs 2,629 people, to become more streamlined while strengthening its competencies.
Zdislava Odstrčilová, the Chief Director of the Family Policy and Social Services Section, dismissed speculations that the government intends to abolish the OSPOD. She stated, “Their role must remain, but at the moment, they only intervene in cases involving highly endangered children. It is a high-threshold facility.” According to her, the authorities should focus more on working with families, who may only receive assistance when they find themselves in situations that could lead to the removal of their child.
“We need to strengthen family support so that they can handle difficult situations independently. At the same time, we must identify endangered children as soon as possible and address the situation with authority,” she added. Courts decide to remove children from their families based on proposals from child protection authorities.
“The number of OSPOD employees has doubled since 2011. We have more workers in the field, so we identify more endangered children cases. However, these authorities have no other tool than their social work. They do not influence benefits or housing,” said Miloslav Macela, an advisor to the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs involved in the preparation of the amendment.
“We know that children are at risk, but we face a range of limitations. The reform aims to eliminate these limitations,” said Macela. According to Radek Šoustal from the Department of Conceptualization of Foster Care at the Ministry of Labor, child protection authorities should have a more managerial role and collaborate more with municipal social workers, who would have new tasks.
Excessive Paperwork Consumes Most of the Time
During the discussion, social service workers shared their daily experiences. “We struggle with a personnel situation; we cannot find qualified employees. In municipal districts, the decision-making lies with the council, and each council has a program statement to reduce the number of officials,” said Monika Brzkovská, the head of OSPOD in Prague 20.
“We now have many Ukrainian children, some even unaccompanied. But when I go to the secretary to request hiring another person, they smile and show me the program statement,” she said. According to her, employees are burden